Witherspoon clears waivers, outrighted to Double-A

Witherspoon clears waivers, outrighted to Double-A

SEATTLE -- Outfielder Travis Witherspoon, who was designated for assignment last week, has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Double-A Jackson by the Mariners.

Witherspoon, 24, was acquired by Seattle on a waiver claim from the Angels on Oct. 8, but hehad to be moved off the 40-man roster on Friday to make room for newly signed free agent Corey Hart.

Witherspoon spent last season at Double-A Arkansas in the Angels organization, where he hit .214 with 11 home runs, 38 RBIs and 30 stolen bases in 129 games.

The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder has 140 steals in 173 attempts in his Minor League career, including 110 steals over the past three seasons.

Witherspoon hit .319 with 25 stolen bases in 67 games for High Class A Inland Empire in 2012, and he is regarded as a potential five-tool prospect with a strong arm and defensive skills as a center fielder. But he has struggled making contact since his promotion to Double-A, and he hit just .202 in 54 games for Arkansas after a midseason promotion in '12 and then posted a .214/.299/.342 line in a full season there last year.

Witherspoon was a 12th-round Draft pick by the Angels out of Spartanburg Methodist College in South Carolina in 2009.

The Mariners have also signed independent league outfielder Burt Reynolds to a Minor League contract. Reynolds, 25, is the cousin of Robinson Cano. He hit .247 with six home runs in 71 games for the Camden Riversharks in the Atlantic League last year.

Reynolds, a native of the Dominican Republic, was originally drafted in the 30th round in 2006 by the Nationals and spent three years in the Rays' Minor League system from 2008-10, compiling a .221 batting average in 68 games at the Class A level.